Numbering-head.



C. A. MEISEL.

' NUMBERING HEAD.

I APPLICATION FILED MAR-171 I913- RENEWED NOV 1| 1915.

1,1 86,01 9. Patented June 6, 1916.

Fig.9. FiglO. Figll.

l V/T/VESSZFS m THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES AUSTIN MEISEL, OF DORCHESTER, MA$SACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO MEISEL PRESS AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

NUMBERING-HEAD.

Application filed March 17, 1913, Serial No. 754,989.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES AUsTIN MnIsnL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dorchester. in the county of Suffolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in NumberingHeads, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to improvements in numbering heads such as are used in printing numbers consecutively and is illustrated in connection with a numbering head which is capable of printing two series of numbers.

It is sometimes desirable to print one series of numbers in a certain relation to a second series. For example, in printing sales books it may be desirable to number the pages of the books consecutively and also to number the books. Again it may be desirable to number the pages of each book consecutively and also to number the aggregate pages of the books. Hitherto these and similar operations have been performed by the use of two separate numbering heads, and the object of the present invention is to permit such operations to be accomplished by the use of a single numbering head.

According to the present invention it is thus possible with one numbering head to print a series and to number the series consecutively or to print a long series and simultaneously to print a short serieswhich is repeated many times before the long series is completed.

These and other features of the invention including certain details of construction and combinations of parts will be described in connection with an illustrative device and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of a numbering head in which the present invention is embodied. Fig. 2 comprises Perspectives of the shaft upon which the disks revolve and of the screw which holds the shaft in place. Fig. 3 is a perspective of the pawl carrier and pawls, the end of the carrier being broken away and the units pawl of the smaller series of disks being omitted. Fig. 4 is a perspective of the yoke of the pawl carrier not shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective showing the connection between the con Specification of Letters Patent.

Renewed November 1, 1915. Serial No. 59,147.

trolling pawl and the units pawl of the largerseries. Fig. 6 comprises elevations of both sides of one of the disks of the larger series, the numerals which are cut on the periphery being indicated. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the tens disk. of the'smaller se Fig. 8 1s a side elevation of the units ries. disk of the smaller series. Fig. 9 comprises aperspective and an elevation of the cam member for rendering the controlling pawl inoperative when desired. This member also carries the dash which may be printed between the two series of numbers. Fig. 10 is an elevation of the cam for rendering the units pawl of the smaller series inoperative when desired. Fig. 11 is a central vertical section through the shaft shown in Fig. 2, the disks and cams mounted upon said shaft and the yokes which are angularly movable upon 1t.

The construction and general operation of the disks and pawls is similar to that shown and described in the patent to myself and fg'lalncis Meisel No. 989,860 granted April 18,

Referring to Fig. 1, nine numbering disks are shown, said disks being capable of printing two series of numbers, namely from 0 to 50 and from 0 to 9,000,000.

The disks of the million series, considered by themselves, are similar to those of the patent and similarly operated. The disks of this series are all alike except the one which prints the millions digits, this disk differing from the others merely by the omission of the groove presently to be described. These disks are rotatably mounted on a shaftll which is held between two uprights 13, 15 of the frame of the numbering head which may be attached in the usual manner to a rotary numbering-head cyl inder.

The disks are separated by thin washers Patented J une 6, 1916.

17 (see Fig. 11) having lugs which are received in a square sided groove 19 (see Fig. 2) formed in the periphery of the shaft to prevent them from turning and'thereby to prevent one disk from being turned by another. Each disk has on one side a ratchet wheel 21 and on the other. (with the exception of the millions disk) a groove 23. A pawl carrier 25 having yokes 26, which embrace turned down ends of the shaft in a ios manner presently to be described, is pro:

series of pawls 28 are rotatably mounted, each pawl being normally urged forward into contact with its corresponding ratchet wheel by a spring 29 seated in the pawl carrier. The pawl carrier has at one end a stud 31 which receives the eye of an operating lever 32, said lever being pivoted upon the shaft of the screw 33 which holds the shaft 11 in place. This lever carries at its other end a roller 35, herein shown as spherical, which is adapted to travel in an endless cam track in the usual manner and thereby to cause the lever, and with it the pawl carrier, to be oscillated. If no proper provision were made, this oscillation of the pawl carrier would cause the numbering disks to be rotated equally together. In order to prevent this undesired result, each pawl, except the units pawl, has a lug 37 which extends into the groove 23 of the next lower disk, said grooves being located at such a distance from the centers of the disks that the pawls are held out of engagement with their corresponding ratchet wheels. Each groove, however, has a depression. 39 into which the lug of the pawl of the next higher disk may drop and when said pawl drops into said depression it thereby comes into contact with its ratchet and turns its disk to present the next numeral thereon in position to be printed. By this arrangement each of the pawls except the units pawl is held out of operative position by the next lower disk and is permitted to operate only when its lug drops into the depression of the next lower disk. Consequently the tens disk will be turned only when the units disk turns from 9 to 0, the hundreds disk will be turned only when the tens disk is turned from 9 to 0, etc. To guard additionally against improper operation of the pawls the tail of each pawl above the units pawl is cut away to provide a seat 41. for a pin which is mounted in the tail of the nextlower pawl so that when any given pa-wl is held out of operative position all the pawls above it are similarly held. For example, when the tens pawl is held out of operative position by the cooperation of its lug 37 with the groove 23 of the units pawl, the hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands and millions pawls are also held out of operative position. In order to hold the disks from movement except at the proper time, a series of retaining pawls, the tops 13 of which appear in Fig. 1, are pivotally mounted in the frame of the device and held in operative position by the usual springs.

The construction thus far set forth is practically identical with that shown in the patent referred to above and will not be described further in detail.

The construction and operation of the two disks which form the fifty series is slightly different because of the shortness of the series. The units disk of this series in Fig. 8 is identical with the disks of the million series, except that there are two depressions 45 in the groove 123 so that the tens disk is turned both when the units disk is turned from 9 to 0 and when it is turned from 0 to 1. The tens disk of the fifty series has the following numerals arranged consecutively, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, i1, 5, the tenth face being blank. In operation, the units disk alone is first turned from 1 to 9, then both disks receive two turns together to produce 10 and 11, then the units disk alone is turned to produce 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, then both disks are turned to produce 20 and 21. This procedure continues until the number 19 is produced. Then both disks are turned to produce 50, and finally both disks are again turned thereby exposing the blank face of the tens disk and the numeral 1 of the units disk. This, of course, starts the series of fifty once more. There are thus two series of disks operated from a common pawl carrier, and if no further provision were made the smaller series would print from 1 to 50 and repeat continuously while the larger series would print up to 9,000,000 consecutively before repeating.

In order to permit suppression of the fifty series when desired, a cam 47, shown. detached in Fig. 10, is mounted upon. the shaft 11 opposite a portion ofthe units pawl of the fifty series, said units pawl being wide enough to cooperate both with its cone 1 sponding ratchet wheel and with said cam. The cam is provided with teeth 49 which are adapted to be engaged by a retaining pawl identical with those which cooperate with the ratchet wheels on the numbering disks so that when said cam is turned to any given position it will be held in said position. This cam is provided .with a raised portion 51 which is adapted to hold the units pawl away from its corresponding ratchet wheel, and with a cut-away portion 53 which is adapted to permit the units pawl to cooperate with its corresponding ratchet wheel. Consequently when the raised portion of the cam is moved into position to hold the units pawl away from its ratchet, no turning of the disks of the fiftyseries can take place. Unless, however, some additional provision were made. one of the numerals of the units disk would be printed continuously. To avoid this the numeral 2 of the units disk is carried by a slide having at its inner end a lug 57 which is adapted to enter a channel 59 cut in the shaft. The shaft is held in such angular position that the lug of the disappearing numeral 2 does not quite come opposite to said numeral when said ward, the lug will come opposite the groove 59, and the numeral may be depressed. N0 disappearing numeral is provided on the tens disk since the blank face between 5 and 1 may be moved into position. In order to force the disappearing numeralQoutwardly again, when desired, it is necessary merely to turn the disk forwardly 011 the shaft 11. In order to control the operation of the million series with respect to the operation of the fifty series a controlling member 61 in the form of a pawl is provided. This controlling member, although having the shape of a pawl, does not itself operate to turn a disk but serves merely to control the operation of the units pawl of the million series. Like the other pawls (except the two units pawls) it has a lug 37, and this lug extends into the groove 23 in the adjacent face of the tens disk of the fifty series so that this controlling pawl is held away from the center of the disks except when it drops into the depression 39 in the groove of the tens disk of the fifty series. Pivoted to the tail of this controlling pawl is a latch 63 which may be swung into the position shown in Fig. 5 wherein it contacts with the tail of the units pawl of the million series. IVhen the latch is in this operative position said units pawl cannot swing forward into operative position until the controlling pawl swings forward. This swinging forward of the two pawls occurs when the lug of the controlling pawl drops into the depression 39 in the groove 23 of the tens disk of the fifty series; and this depression is so located as to permit the controlling pawl to swing forward on the backward swing of the pawl carrier after the number 50 has been printed. The next forward swing of the pawl carrier, which starts the fifty series again with the numeral 1, will turn the units disk of the million series. This changing of the numerals of the fifty series from 50 to 1 will of course advance the tens disk of the fifty series and with it the depression: and this depression will not come into position to permit the controlling pawl to swing forward again until the whole fifty series has been printed again. Consequently if the disks are set initially so that six zeros and the unit 1 are in printing position in the million series and the unit 1 is in printing position in the fifty series, there will be printed first a series of fifty consecutive numbers by the fifty series and for each number six zeros and a 1 by the million series; then. as the fifty series is started again, the million series will print OO0,000,2. And this procedure will be repeated, the million series printing, at the end of each series of fifty, the numerals 2, 3, 4, etc.

It may be desired to have the million series print a number every time that the fifty series prints a number, in which case it is necessary merely to swing the latch out of engagement with the units pawl of the million series. In this case the two series will operate independently of each other. For example, if both series are started at the numeral 1, the two series will print the same numbers up to 50, then the fifty series will print 1 and the million series 51, then the fifty series will print :2 and the million series 52, etc. Again it may be desired to suppress the million series. To accomplish this the latch is moved back into the position shown in Fig. 5 so that the controlling pawl is again effective, after which the cam 71 is turned about the shaft 11 to prevent the controlling pawl from swinging to ward the center of the disks when its lug 37 comes opposite to the depression 39 in the groove of the tens disk of the fifty series. This cam 71 like the cam 47 is provided with ratchet teeth which may be engaged by one of the retaining pawls 43. When this cam has been turned into such a position that its high portion 73 is opposite to the controlling pawl, no turning of the disks of the million series can take place. In such case, in order that nothing whatever may be printed by the millions series, the numerals O are made capable of disappearing in the same manner as the numeral 2 of the fifty series which has been described above.

The cam 71 may, if desired, be provided with a character, which in the illustrative device is a dash. It should be understood that when the dash is in printing position the operation of the controlling pawl is not interfered with and consequently the million series will be printed. It should also be understood that the dash may be swung out of printing position without interfering with the operation of the controlling pawl 71. The dash occupies this position in Fig. 1; if it is desired to hold the controlling pawl from permitting any printing of the million series the dash should be pushed farther down as viewed in Fig. 1 so as to bring the high portion 78 of the cam opposite said controlling pawl.

Considering, for convenience, that the position of the numerals when in printing position is their uppermost position, it is desirable that the groove 59 in the shaft 11 be held at all times so as to be just slightly forward of its uppermost position so that the operator may readily depress the disappearing numerals when desired. It is also desirable that the putting on and taking off from the shaft 11 of the numbering disks and washers 17 be facilitated. To this end the shaft 11 is provided at the left hand end with a reduced portion having two curved surfaces 77 which are segments of the circular opening 79 and two flat surfaces 81 which are adapted to slide along the flat sides 83 of the left hand yoke 26. The right hand end of the shaft 11 has an annular groove 85, which may be embraced by the right hand yoke 26 and a flattened portion 87 which may he slid into a correspondingly shaped vertical socket in the upright 15, this flattened portion and socket insuring that the shaft shall always occupy the desired angular position. \Vith this construction the dismantling and assembling of the device is also greatly facilitated. mantle the device the screw 83 is unscrewed from its socket in the upright 13 and pulled out after which the operating lever 32 may be removed if desired. The shaft '11 with the disks and pawl carrier may then be pulled out. The shaft 11 is then turned in the yokes until the flat surfaces 71 are in position to slide out between the sides 83 of the left hand. yoke 26. Such sliding will, of course, be prevented by the engagement of the lugs 37 on the pawls with the grooves 23 in the sides of the disks; but to obviate this each groove has a narrow channel 89 cut into it radially of its disk. The disks are accordingly turned until these channels are opposite the lugs of the pawls whereupon the shaft 11 with the disks upon it may be pulled out of the yokes and separated from the pawl carrier. The disks and. cams may then be removed from the shaft by sliding them off the end thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A numbering head comprising a shaft, two sets of numbering disks rotatable there on, a pawl carrier angularly movable about said shaft, a lever connected therewith and adapted when operated to oscillate said carrier, a rod mounted in said pawl carrier, two sets of pawls mounted on said rod and arranged to cooperate with the two sets of disks, and means for rendering inoperative the pawls which cooperate with one set.

9. A numbering head comprising two sets of numbering disks, a shaft upon which the disks of both sets are rotatably mounted, a pawl carrier, two series of pawls mounted thereon and adapted to cooperate with the two sets of disks, a controlling pawl the position of which is governed by the angular position of the disk printing the highest digits of one series, and means for connecting said pawl with the units pawl. of the other series.

A numbering head comprising two sets of numbering disks adapted to print respectively a short series and a long series of numbers, means for causing the short series to beprinted repeatedly, and means for compelling one number of the long series to be printed for each number and repeated number of the short series.

To dis- 4:. A numbering head comprising a plurality of numbering disks, means for operating said disks to print and reprint a short series of numbers and concurrently to print a long series, and means for adjusting said operating means to suppress the short series.

5. A numbering head comprising a plurality of numbering disks, means for operating said disks to print and reprint a short series of numbers and concurrently to print a long series, and means for adjusting said operating means to suppress the long series.

6. A numbering head comprising two sets of numbering disks, a shaft upon which the disks of both sets are rotatably mounted, a pawl carrier, two series of pawls mounted thereon and. adapted to cooperate with the two sets of disks, means for holding the higher pawls out of operative position when the units pawls of the respective series are held out of operative posit-ion and. a cam movable into one position to hold one of the units pawls out of operative position and.

into another position to permit said units,

pawl to operate.

7. A numbering head comprising two sets of numbering disks, a shaft upon which the disks of both sets are rotatably mounted, a pawl carrier, two series of pawls mounted thereon and adapted to cooperate with the two sets of disks, means for holding the hi her pawls out of operative position when the units pawls of the respective series are held out of operative position, and two cams mounted upon the shaft opposite the two units pawls respectively, said cams being.

movable into positions to prevent or to permit said units pawls to operate.

S. A numbering head comprising two uprights, one of said uprights being provided with a slot, a hollow shaft adapted to be received between said uprights and having a slide at one end to be received in said slot whereby the angular position of said shaft with respect to said uprights is predetermined, numbering disks rotatably mounted upon said shaft, pawls arranged when actuated to turn said disks, a pawl carrier, yokes on said pawl carrier arranged to embrace said shaft, and a screw extending through said hollow shaft and having its end threaded into one of said uprights.

9. A numbering head comprising two sets of numbering disks, a shaft upon which said disks are mounted, a pawl carrier, two sets of pawls mounted thereon and adapted to cooperate with the two sets of disks, and a cam having a character formed thereon located between said sets of disks, said cam being movable into one position to render inoperative one set of pawls and into another position to cause said character to be printed.

10 said controlling pawl with and disconnecting it from the pawl which cooperates with the units disk of the other set of disks.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES AUSTIN MEISEL.

Witnesses:

WALTER BRANDT, EMILE H. TARDIVEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for the cents each, by addressing the Commissionerof Patents Washington, D. 0. 

